Agilent Technologies and 10x Genomics Announce Collaboration

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) and10x Genomics have announced a collaboration to develop a groundbreaking exome allowing in-depth discovery of important novel content within and around the exome by enabling phasing, access to previously unmappable loci, structural variation, and copy number detection through the use of complementary products of both companies. The two companies will each create products that provide a streamlined workflow for 10x Genomics' Chromium platform using Agilent's market-leading Sure Select target enrichment technology.

The Chromium platform is a unique molecular barcoding and analysis platform that consists of hardware, reagents and software to generate a new, single-molecule resolution sequencing data type: Linked-Reads. Linked-Reads deliver long-range information, including haplotype phasing, structural variation and other critical genomic context, from DNA inputs of approximately1 ng.

Building upon Agilent's legacy and leadership in target enrichment, the collaboration entails coupling the 10x Genomics Linked-Read technology with an optimized Agilent Sure Select target enrichment solution to deliver coverage and variant calling, including in hard-to-map regions of the genome. Most important, this solution will include both exonic targets and additional loci to enhance phasing, thus providing more insight into complex genomic structural anomalies, something that is not possible with target enrichment products on the market today.

"Our collaboration with 10x Genomics will advance the understanding of underlying causes of disease, and we are excited to be at the forefront of this innovation," said Herman Verrelst, Agilent VP and general manager, Genomics Division, in the Diagnostics and Genomics Group. "Its unique potential to resolve maternal and paternal haplotypes and the ability to detect structural variants, such as translocations, will make a significant impact on clinical research for constitutional diseases and cancer."

"10x Genomics is excited to collaborate with Agilent to bring the power of long-range information to exome sequencing applications," said Serge Saxonov, 10x Genomics' chief executive officer. "Optimized Agilent Sure Select panels running with the 10x Genomics Chromium platform will add significant value to our customers' targeted sequencing projects by offering loci in the genome that were previously difficult to access, as well as compound heterozygote phasing, structural variation and copy number detection."